


Reminiscing

by FeliciaAmelloides



Category: Lord of the Flies - William Golding
Genre: Fluff, Oneshot, Ralmon - Freeform, angsty, just some platonic ralmon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-12
Updated: 2017-11-12
Packaged: 2019-02-01 06:54:44
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,723
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12699687
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeliciaAmelloides/pseuds/FeliciaAmelloides
Summary: "So, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here so late?" The sudden question caught Ralph off guard, and he stiffened a little."Well... This place holds a lot of memories for me. So I guess I'm here to remember.""But why remember if it only makes you sad?"





	Reminiscing

The fair haired male shivered as he walked along the pavement towards the local chapel. Although he didn't usually feel the cold, the weather had been particularly harsh as of late, and he had left the house without thinking ahead, leaving his thick winter coat behind. 

It was almost midnight when he stepped outside, and now, approaching the doors to the chapel, he wondered if it was Christmas Day yet. He paused at the door, a cloud of warm air emerging from his cracked lips as he sighed. After a short, pensive moment, he turned the handle and entered.

The chapel was completely deserted, just as it always was. He had visited that same place every year on Christmas Eve since his mother died. The thought of her made his heart ache, and he sat down heavily on one of the dusty pews. Immediately he let his thoughts run wild, free from the pressures of society to keep them hidden.

He was tired, and not just because it was the middle of the night and he hadn't slept in days. The strain of living alone and trying to make ends meet had drained everything out of him. Existence was mundane, exhausting, and completely devoid of anything important. Sometimes he pondered leaving that existence behind. Surely no one would mind if he just slipped away quietly. He'd do it somewhere quiet- perhaps in a deserted alley on the far side of town. Then he remembered his mother. She wouldn't have wanted him to do that.

The blond sighed softly, sitting up straighter in his seat. Moonlight filtered in through the large stained glass window depicting the Creation at the back of the chapel. He had never been a religious person, but still he ended up going there every Christmas. Most people his age would be out drinking things that they were too young to drink and having far too much fun on those nights, glad to be out of school and with too much time on their hands. Yet there he was.

A slight rustling near the altar startled him out of his thoughts, and he spun around. Before him stood a silhouette against the moonlight, a symbol of the inky blackness that dominated his thoughts. Slowly, almost nervously, the figure stepped out into the faint light.

To the blond's surprise, the person before him was a boy who looked to be only a year or so younger than him. A mop of coarse black hair fell into his eyes, and his pale face was dusted in a faint crimson at being caught. For a while, neither of them spoke. The stranger was the first to break the silence.

"G-good evening... I'm sorry if I startled you. I came here to practise for the morning service, but if you'd rather be alone-"

He quickly shook his head, slightly taken aback at the boy's polite manner. "It's alright. I was just about to leave anyway."

"Oh... You were? That's okay then. I wouldn't want to interrupt you. Um... I'm Simon by the way." He mumbled the last part so that it was barely audible as he stared at an interesting spot on the floor. After a moment of awkward silence, his eyes widened and he quickly extended his hand, already feeling as if he was going to be scolded for his rudeness by a teacher or a parent.

"Ralph." As their hands met, Simon's cheeks flared. Ralph stared curiously. He'd never met someone as shy as the person standing before him that night. It was extremely rare to see anyone remotely sober wandering around outside at that time of night on that particular day, and even stranger that the person in question was so young. Morning service or not, it was far from normal to start practising at midnight. 

"May I ask what you're doing out here? It's a little late to be practising." Although he tried to sound casual, he couldn't help the suspicion that leaked through his voice.

"Most people would think so, right? I wouldn't normally be out so late, but this service is really important and we have to get it just right. Our chapter chorister is really strict, and I don't want to make him mad by fainting in the middle of the service." Simon shifted uncomfortably, shaken by some past memory that Ralph had no knowledge of.

"Some chapter chorister he is, if he makes you stay up all night to practise." Simon laughed softly, tentatively sitting down next to the blond on the pew. When he received no protest, he sat more comfortably, tension leaving his small frame.

"So, if you don't mind me asking, why are you here so late?" The sudden question caught Ralph off guard, and he stiffened a little. 

"Well... This place holds a lot of memories for me. So I guess I'm here to remember."

"But why remember if it only makes you sad?"

Ralph's eyes widened. He certainly hadn't expected that from the shorter boy. After a short silence, he asked a question of his own.

"What makes you think those memories are bad?"

"I don't know anyone who comes to a church at midnight every year to reminisce on the good parts of his life." Simon stated flatly. Ralph laughed despite himself.

"I suppose that's true. But not everything I think about here is bad."

"Maybe so, but you're still unhappy." The blond looked at Simon carefully, taking him in properly for the first time. His forest green eyes shone with sincerity, even as his hair fell into them. His pale form almost seemed to glow in the dim light of the moon, giving him an almost ethereal appearance. Ralph wondered if he was dreaming.

"Yes, but it's because of the person I come here to remember," he hesitated for a moment, and then continued, deciding to trust this strange boy, "...my mother."

This time, Simon was the one who stiffened. There was a long, slightly uncomfortable silence, and then he spoke. "...I know you probably get this a lot, but I sort of understand what you're feeling. My situation isn't anything like yours; I can tell. But still... I lost my father a few years ago, and it completely turned my life upside down."

The sincerity in his eyes broke through his voice, and Ralph couldn't help but stare, enthralled by the person sitting before him. "I-I'm sorry..." he said quietly, ignoring the way he stuttered.

"There's nothing to apologise for. He died protecting this country. Another victim of war." Simon's tone changed suddenly, a hint of anger and resentment tainting his words.

"War's an awful thing, isn't it? When I was younger, I used to think it was amazing. But now, whenever my father comes home from the Navy I see his face and realise time and time again that war isn't what I thought it was. It got even worse when my mother," his voice cracked and he couldn't say the word 'died', "...left us. I think he gave up hope. And in a way... so did I." 

He stopped speaking, a little overwhelmed by how much he had told this almost complete stranger. In fact, he was fairly certain that he had never told anyone this much before. 

Then, to his utmost surprise, Simon reached out and took his hand. The warmth and softness of the shorter boy's hand flew through him, awakening all kinds of feelings that he hadn't felt in years. Safety, comfort, happiness. Such rare emotions amazed and bewildered him, all in such a short moment.

"It's hard, isn't it?" Simon's voice was slow, quiet. It sounded like a cacophony in the still silence of the night, "To get back on your feet when everything seems so wrong. But, even though we've only just met, I can see that you're one of the strong ones. So you just have to keep fighting until the very end. It's easier said than done, but if you keep working at it then you will get back up, and you'll be even stronger for it. I know you can do it, Ralph. I know you can!"

The earnest look in Simon's eyes and the smile he gave him at the end of his speech shot right through Ralph, and he couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you..." he said, as it was the only thing he could say to that; the only thing he wanted to say.

For a moment more, nothing was said, and then Ralph slowly rose from his seat. "Well, I should probably get going... I haven't slept in a while, but I don't have work tomorrow, so I might as well try." An emotion that Ralph couldn't name flashed through Simon's eyes, but he stood up as well, hiding it with the ease of someone who did so often.

"You really should get some sleep. You look exhausted. I have to stay here and practise though... Not that it really matters. I'll faint either way." Simon smiled, but Ralph didn't think he was joking.

"...I'd quite like to see this morning service. I-if you don't mind, of course." he asked before even realising he was asking it.

"You want to see it? O-of course! Please come along! It starts at 11, but we sing throughout, so you don't have to come right then if you just want to see the choir." Simon spoke quickly, excitedly. The blond's heart skipped a beat, due to the excitement of having something to do, probably.

"Then I'll be there," he smiled again, happiness coursing through his veins, "Oh, and Simon?"

"Yes?"

"Thank you again. For everything. I haven't talked to someone like that in a while."

"Oh. You're welcome... I-it's not like I was doing anything special, though. I haven't really talked to anyone in a while either. It... was kinda nice." The dark-haired boy flushed a little, shyness filtering through his voice.

"Yeah... It kinda was."

Another long silence, but this time it was comfortable.

"Then... I'll see you tomorrow?" Simon's voice sounded almost pleading. Maybe he didn't want their conversation to end as much as Ralph did. 

"Yes. You will." The blond offered him one last smile before turning and walking out of the church into the cold night air, excited for what was to come.

*

**Author's Note:**

> So, that was my first attempt at a fluffy oneshot! It's a bit weird, but I hope you liked it anyway. I personally prefer Ralmon over Jalph (even though I ship both), and I wish that there was more Ralmon on here! 
> 
> If you want me to write more, please tell me!


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